Leaving Jane
by ItsClaStevOffical
Summary: Maura finally comes to the conclusion that Jane will never feel the same way...her only option is to leave. But leaving Jane isnt that simple...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One - Leaving

The airport was busy. People hustled past her with their luggage in tow, all in a rush to get where they were going. Unlike Dr Maura Isles – she stood rooted to the spot, hoping against all hope that she wouldn't have to leave. If she was honest, she didn't want to go, but she couldn't stay with the way things were now.

She checked her watch for the umpteenth time before glancing up and around the departure lounge, searching for the one person that could stop her from doing this.

She thought back; just a few months had passed and yet, so much had changed.

 _"_ _Maura?" Jane called out as she came into the morgue, smiling. "Casey is back."_

 _Maura had her hands inside the body of a white male who had been found slumped against the wall of a neighbour's garden. She felt herself tense at the news, her hands instantly stilling. Casey Jones hadn't been mentioned for weeks. She had assumed Jane's infatuation with the soldier had passed, and she chided herself for her mistake. "Oh, is he?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, so uh…I know we had plans tonight but…"Jane shrugged and smiled that smile that melted Maura's heart. Melted, or broke it? She wasn't quite so sure anymore._

 _"_ _You want to cancel?" Maura asked, lifting out the man's heart. She studied it and wondered if her own would look similar, broken and yet still beating in her chest._

 _"_ _I mean it was just a movie and pizza, right? We can do something tomorrow."_

 _"_ _Of course, Jane." She smiled to cover her disappointment._

That had been the start, the catalyst. Tomorrow never came.

Next it was lunches with Casey and then dinners that followed. It was inevitable; Maura knew that Jane wouldn't remain single forever. But it stung, the ease with which Jane pulled away.

There were times, so many times, when Maura was sure that there was something more between them. The way that Jane looked at her as she was explaining something more technical and going all Googlemouth on her. She could almost reach out and touch it, feel the electricity that sparked between them. But whenever she had tried to bring it up, Jane would change the subject or brush her off with a joke. So, she stopped trying and accepted that there would be nothing more between them than friendship. It was hard at first, but she had managed it quite well, or so she had thought. Until Casey.

 _The knock on her office door was unexpected. She looked up and found the detective beaming at her from the doorway, her left hand held out in front of her, dangling a finger. "Casey proposed."_

 _Maura felt the wind knocked out of her. Her lungs emptied and she gasped loudly to try and fill them, to just keep breathing. Jane assumed she was as excited as she herself was and clapped excitedly._

 _"_ _He did?"_

 _"_ _I uh…" Jane smiled and moved into the room, closing the door behind her. "I'm pregnant. I told Casey today and he proposed. Said he planned to anyway, but with the baby, well…"_

 _"_ _That's…I don't know what to say. I guess congratulations are in order." Her guts churned. Jane was pregnant. Her Jane was going to have a baby and marry Casey, and she hadn't confided in her._

 _"_ _Yeah, Ma is throwing us a party tonight at the Robber, you'll come right?"_

 _She nodded; what else could she say or do?_

 _~R &I~_

 _The party was in full swing when she arrived. Having used the excuse of a paperwork issue to delay her, she had hoped to maybe just pop in and show her face before making a quick exit. But Angela had other plans._

 _"_ _Hey Maura, come over here!" she bellowed across the room. Maura noticed that most of the people filling the space were just regular customers. The only people invited to this shindig were sitting inside their booth, the one where she and Jane would always sit, enjoy a drink and a catch-up in. Jane sat on the inside, Casey squeezed up against her with Frankie on the outside. Korsak, Tommy and Angela sat opposite. There was no room for Maura._

 _"_ _Here, Maura take my seat," Frankie said, standing to make room for her. She really didn't want to sit next to Casey, not that he would have noticed as he seemed more content to paw at Jane. Maura glanced at her friend, expecting to see her smiling and enjoying the attention. Instead, she was shocked to find Jane's gaze locked on her. She couldn't stand the scrutiny._

 _"_ _Thank you, Frankie…I just, uh…I'll be right back," she said as she turned to make her way to the ladies' room._

 _It was cooler in there, and yet she burned. She checked the stalls and found herself alone; the irony wasn't lost on her. The mirror reflected back a woman she hardly recognised anymore. A sadness had settled in her eyes._

 _There were times in her life when she could acknowledge that she had been in love, found herself attracted to someone and made it clear how she felt. It would be reciprocated or not, but she always knew where she stood, until now. Now, she felt as though she had no control over her feelings any longer._

 _She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the door open or the soft footsteps that followed. She opened her eyes to find Jane standing behind her._

 _Dabbing at her eyes with a tissue, she tried a smile, failing. "Hey."_

 _"_ _You okay?" Jane asked, her eyes filled with concern._

 _"_ _Yes, yes, of course. Just tired." Maura turned to face her friend. It wasn't a lie; it had been a long day, made longer by being here. "It's your engagement party, we should go and enjoy the…" Her words trailed off as Jane closed the space between them._

 _Her arms encircled the thin waist of the doctor. "We should…we should have done a lot of things, huh Maura?" Maura looked away, but Jane brought her finger to her chin and raised her eyes to meet her own. "I wish…"_

 _And then Maura understood that it would never be. "I should go, it's been a long day and you…you should be with…"_

 _Jane nodded. "I know."_

 _She left Jane standing in the bathroom and headed out of the bar, onto the street, gasping for air. She had no idea how long she stood there for, feeling the cool air envelope her._

 _"_ _Maura." Frankie's voice was gentle as he neared her. "She's an idiot, Maura."_

 _The statement confused her._

 _"_ _I'm sorry, I don't understand."_

 _Frankie smiled sadly at her. "Yeah, you do. She loves you, you know?"_

 _She shook her head, unable to contain the tears that had threatened to fall. "No, I thought maybe…but, she is going to marry Casey."_

 _Frankie nodded. "Maybe, it's not too late though, Maura. Tell her. Tell her how you feel, make her see."_

 _She pressed a palm against his chest. "Thank you, Frankie. For everything."_

 _~R &I~_

It was true, she probably hadn't given it as much thought as she should have, as she usually would have. She needed some space. A break from everything. She wrote two letters. One was to the governor explaining her wish for a leave of absence with immediate effect; she had accrued enough vacation time after all.

The second was for Jane.

In it, she poured her heart out, explained how she felt and that she was taking some time out to finally write that book she had been talking about. She had no idea how long she would need; it would all depend on Jane. If there was a chance for them, then she would stay if Jane asked. She explained that should Jane not stop her leaving then she would take the flight she had booked. 10 am from Logan Airport.

She placed both letters inside the personalised envelopes her mother had given her for a stocking filler one Christmas, and posted them. Then she set about packing the things that she would need for her trip.

Lake Placid sounded like the perfect place to spend the next few weeks, maybe months, she wouldn't decide right now. The cabin looked amazing though, right on the lake with a small pontoon. Lots of decking with outdoor seating, and there was even a small boat at her disposal. If she could write a book and get over Jane while she was there, then maybe she never would leave.

 ** _"_** ** _Last call for flight number JBU239 to Saranac Lake. All passengers to gate 5. This is the last call for flight number JBU239."_**

Maura Isles sighed with a deep resignation. Jane wasn't coming. She held her head high and with one final look over her shoulder, she walked the final steps towards the gate. A single tear sliding down her cheek was wiped away with a determination she hadn't felt in years. She would not break. In time, she would heal, and life would move on.

 **AN: Well, I am back... Been a busy few weeks with two new book releases in the last couple of months! The third in the Cam Thomas a series and a new character and genre, Detective Inspector Sophie Whitton in, The Doll Maker. So, I know some of you are going to throw a hissy as you read this one..but remember, I always give you two things! Rizzles and a Happy Ever after! So chill.. enjoy the ride! CHS**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two- New Start

Life was different now. No longer did she rely on alarm calls or her phone ringing at odd hours alerting her to a death. Instead, she woke to the sounds of nature. Her circadian rhythm was now perfectly in tune with the world that surrounded her. It had taken a while to settle, but she had made the best of it from the moment she had touched down at Saranac Lake airport.

That first morning she had awoken in her new home had been somewhat wonderful. Panoramic views of the Adirondack Mountains took her breath away. She had visited with Jane years ago. A short trip camping hadn't really been her thing, but Jane had wanted to go, and anything that Jane wanted, Maura would happily give to her. She knew then that she loved Jane, loved her in ways best friends didn't, but she was sure it was the most perfect love she had ever felt before. A love that in many ways was reciprocated even if neither verbally acknowledged it.

They had spent that weekend under the stars, lying close together in their matching sleeping bags by the fire. Conversations had taken them far away from their real-life lives into worlds of fantasy, and if she was honest, longing. Jane talked about who would be the perfect person for her, and Maura could have sworn every word described herself. Wishful thinking maybe, but when she thought back to Jane at her engagement party, holding her tight, the way her eyes had searched her face, she knew that Jane felt it too.

She had made a friend in her second month, Maggie. She had a cabin further around the lake and she ran a small yoga retreat that Maura had discovered from an ad placed in the local store. Yoga was something she had always enjoyed, and Maggie was a lot of fun to be around.

They hung out occasionally, going for coffee and sharing walks. It helped to have someone to do things with again. And she was nothing like Jane, not in looks or mannerisms. Maura clung to that, absorbing herself into life here with nothing that reminded her of Jane.

She missed the Rizzolis. When she had arrived, she had emailed each of them and explained her need for space. Only Angela had ignored her request and replied with more than a good luck and wishing her well message. Angela had wanted to know why she needed space? When was she coming home? She implored Maura to think again, it would all work out if she just came home or at least let Jane know where she was. Maura left it read. She didn't reply; she couldn't. It wasn't fair to drag Angela into this any more than she already was. It wouldn't be fair to put that pressure on Jane, to cause ripples of misunderstanding between her and her mother. In her heart she knew that Angela would understand, wouldn't judge if she and Jane had been together, but Jane hadn't come after her. She hadn't tried to stop her leaving, and so, Maura had to respect that. Nobody else needed to know why Maura had really left. She hadn't looked at her email again. It was easier to set up a new one and use that for her new life and not be held back by guilt.

Her own mother had listened intently as she broke down one afternoon during a brief telephone call. It seemed easier to talk to someone 5000 miles away in Paris. It amazed her that after all these years, her own mother had been there for her. For so many years they had been distant, but now, thanks to Jane and the Rizzolis, they were better. When her mother arrived uninvited on her doorstep a week later, she wasn't surprised and she had hugged her in a way she hadn't ever done before.

 _"_ _Maura, you know at some point you need to go back?" Constance Isles had said while she concentrated on her painting._

 _"_ _Do I?" Maura had answered. She had her laptop open on the table in front of her. Both women were enjoying the view for different artistic reasons._

 _Constance placed her brush in the jar of murky water and picked up her cool glass of gin and tonic. "You know you do. Eventually you and Jane need to talk… get it all out there and work through it."_

 _Maura sighed and looked up at her mother. "I did that, Mother. In my letter."_

 _"_ _Words on paper can be misconstrued, Darling. One needs to see the face, to read the words that aren't spoken aloud."_

 _"_ _Maybe. I'm not sure I can." She took a sip of her coffee, enjoying the richness of it as it soothed her, adding warmth. "I'm not sure I can stand to look at her and see the way she looks at me as she lies and tells me she feels nothing."_

 _"_ _So, you do know that she loves you?" She picked up her brush again and added a stroke here and there, dragging the brush through the paint._

 _Maura nodded. "I believe she does, but not in the way that…"_

 _"_ _Poppycock!" Constance said, laughing. "Anyone who isn't a fool can see the way that she looks at you, the way that she touches you. Which, by the way, she doesn't do with anyone else, including that man she married."_

 _"_ _Casey, his name is Casey."_

 _"_ _His name is fool. If he saw you two together and didn't work it out, and then married her? He must know he is second best." Her glass of gin and tonic swayed her attention as she picked it up again to sip it._

 _"_ _Well, it doesn't matter now. She is married and, in a few months, she will be a mother, so there is nothing more to be said. She has made her choice and I will not be responsible for creating problems for her."_

 _Constance opened her mouth to speak, but Maura raised her hand._

 _"_ _No, Mother. I love her, and loving someone means doing what is best for them. She chose him, that's what she wanted, the least I can do is give her what she wanted."_

 _"_ _I am sure you think that that is what is for the best. However, I will not cease pushing you back to Boston. You cannot run away forever, Maura. That is not the way of an Isles, and it is certainly not the way you deal with things. You face them head on, and I've never known you to just give up."_

 _Maura shrugged. "I'm not that person anymore, Mother."_

 _"_ _Poppycock." Constance smiled._

AN: Prepares for backlash! haha


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three- Family Life

Jane spent most of her days deskbound now that her pregnancy was into its seventh month. She tried to be happy about it, but there was no masking the boredom of paperwork. She used to go down to the morgue, but not anymore. Not now that Maura wasn't there. She chided herself for her own part in that. Hadn't she been the one to pull away in the first place, putting Casey before anything and anyone? But how dare Maura just walk away like that? She was angry about it still.

She glanced down at the rings she wore on her left hand and sighed. She wasn't unhappy with Casey; he worked hard to try and be the person that she needed. It wasn't his fault that he would always fail.

He was still in the army, overseas again, and that suited Jane. She could do pretty much anything she wanted, like movie nights and pizza on the couch. She just wished she had known it would never include Maura again. She missed her.

Today she had an ante-natal check-up. Everything with the baby was going well. She was having a boy. Casey had wanted to know; he liked to plan for things like that. They had a crib and a room ready. He had painted it blue and yellow when he was on leave last. She hadn't minded, it had kept him busy and out of her hair. She felt guilty for that. He was trying, too hard maybe, but trying at least to be a good husband.

Korsak had told her to go home straight after her appointment, and she was grateful of that. Her ankles were swelling, and as much as she didn't want to admit to anyone else, she was tired.

She opened the door to her apartment and smelt her mother before she even saw or heard her. The aroma of home-cooked pasta filled the air and she breathed it in. She was starving.

"Ma?" she called out as she kicked off her boots and placed her gun and badge in the designated drawer.

"Janie, I'm in here," she called back from the kitchen. Jane grinned; she didn't need to be a detective to know where here was. Her mother was always in someone's kitchen.

"You cooked? I told ya, Ma, you don't need to do that."

Angela turned to her. "Of course I do, who else is going to make sure my grandbaby is getting all his nutrients, huh? You?" She turned back to the stove. "I could rely on Maura, she would make sure you ate properly, but you?"

"Sure, Ma. Blah blah Maura." She flung her bag down on the countertop. "How long are we going to keep going on about how perfect Maura is, huh?" She opened the fridge and pulled a bottle of water from the shelf, cracking it open. "She left, Ma. Up and walked away without so much as ciao months ago."

"She said ciao to me," Angela said. "What did you do to upset her? You're going to have to tell us one day, Janie?"

"For the love of…Ma, how many times…I didn't do anything to Maura, we didn't argue. She just left us."

Angela stirred the sauce. "Well it's time you talked to her."

Jane threw her hands up. "And how would I do that? She didn't exactly leave a forwarding address, did she? And ya know what, Ma? Actually, I don't even want to talk to her. I have nothing left to say."

"Rubbish, you two were like peas in a pod."

"Ma, drop it, okay, just…" She rubbed her stomach, knowing that her mother would see the movement and be distracted. "I'm tired, alright?"

Angela moved quickly and placed her own hand on Jane's stomach. "Hey Luca Milo Rizzoli."

Jane sighed. "He's a Jones, Ma…it's his father's name!"

"Father my ass, when is he going to come home and be a husband, huh? Instead of running around the world playing with guns, that's no life, Janie."

"It's his life, Ma."

~R&I~

Angela Rizzoli was a good woman, and good women didn't just walk away. Which was why she knew that there was something more to Maura Isles' decision to just leave everything behind, because Maura was a good woman. Even now, five months since she had left her home here in Boston, Angela was still living in her guesthouse. Which told Angela two things, firstly that Maura planned to return – otherwise she would have just sold the home she had in Beacon Hill. And secondly, it involved Jane.

The only reason Angela was living in that house was because of Jane and her friendship with the doctor. Of course, they all considered each other family, but the relationship between her daughter and the doctor was special. In fact, at one point she almost expected Jane to come out to her and announce that she and Maura were together, they were that close. It was almost a shock when she had come over to announce she was marrying Casey and having a baby.

She watched as Jane flopped down onto the couch and put her feet up. She let her head fall back and her eyes close, but she was anything but relaxed. There was a permanent frown on her face, and it had been there ever since Maura left. Oh she smiled and laughed, but not in the same way as when Maura was in the room.

Casey was okay. If she had never witnessed the way Jane looked around Maura, then maybe she could get on board with having Casey as her son-in-law, but she had, she had seen the way they looked at each other. She just hadn't realised the depth of it until Maura left. She had never seen Jane as unhappy as she was without Maura. And with no explanation, there had to be more to it that Jane wasn't sharing.

 _"_ _Angela, its Connie."_

 _"_ _Oh hey, how are you?" It was funny how people came into your life. Constance Isles was not a woman that Angela Rizzoli would ever have happened upon in any other life, had it not been for Maura and Jane's friendship. But now, they were good friends, often calling one another for a chat or advice on their kids._

 _"_ _I am well, thank you, but I cannot say the same for Maura. What has gone on?"_

 _"_ _You tell me…one minute she's here and Jane's getting engaged, the next she's left the party and before we knew it she was gone. Said she needed some space." Angela hit the button on the kettle to make it boil. A good cup of tea was always a great accompaniment when chatting to Connie or Maura._

Over the months, Constance had been in touch more often than not and they both agreed that their daughters were idiots and worse, idiots in love with each other. Constance always kept Maura's right to privacy, not once providing details of where she was, no matter how often Angela tried to fish for details. Instead, she poked and prodded at Maura, encouraging her to come home.

AN: There ya go, first three chapters up... enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four – Moving Forwards

Maggie had organised a picnic. They sat out on the pontoon and dangled naked feet in the water as they sipped Chardonnay and nibbled on French Brie and white grapes on chunks of buttered French bread. The sun beat down, and Maggie had her face to it. Her short blonde hair caught the light. With her eyes closed, she turned her head to face Maura.

"This is just so peaceful," she said, smiling at Maura.

Maura nodded. "It is…it's just what I needed." She sighed contentedly.

Maggie took a gulp of her wine and swallowed it down slowly as she watched her new friend. "So, coming here wasn't a mistake?"

Maura frowned. "No, why would it be a mistake? I needed the space…some time to myself to just decompress. I think this is the perfect place for it."

"Yeah, I think so too."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the peace and each other's company. It was one of the things that Maura enjoyed about her time with Maggie: she was completely at ease with herself and her own company.

"Jane would hate it here," Maura said, more to herself than Maggie, but she had said it aloud and Maggie had heard.

"She didn't like the outdoors?"

Maura laughed at the memory. "She thought she would." She sipped her wine. "She's very sporty and she got it in her head that camping would be a great idea. Of course, once Jane got an idea into her head then I had no choice but to go along with it."

"It sounds like you guys had a lot of fun."

Maura smiled and nodded. "Yes, we did." She drew in a deep breath, released it slowly. "But things change. This is where I need to be right now."

The chardonnay was going down well. This had been a great idea, and Maura was enjoying it. Her mother had visited again, bringing the bread and Brie with her. She had her uses, Maura considered, even if she had become more like Angela with every visit.

"So, you coming to the summer fair?" Maggie's voice broke her from her reverie.

Maura turned to her and smiled as she considered the question. Maggie had her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sun beating down on her face. "I don't know. Maybe," Maura answered.

Maggie opened her eyes and grinned. "Maybe? It's like the highlight of the year around here, you miss this and you might as well just hibernate now."

Maura nudged Maggie with her shoulder. "Oh don't exaggerate. I am sure there is plenty more to do around here to entertain us."

"I guess, I mean I am the biggest catch in town." She laughed and kicked her feet, creating a splash. Maura remained silent, just looking at her. "Ah, I mean, obviously ya know, if you were…" she swallowed and blushed a little as she stilled her feet. "Ya know if you were interested, I mean."

"Oh." Maggie was gay. She wondered why she hadn't considered that; now as she looked at her, she could see it. Maggie hadn't hidden it.

"I'm sorry, I've embarrassed you…I thought…" She shrugged and cracked a shy smile. "I thought you knew, ya know? And I just assumed…the way you, well I thought Jane was…I figured you were…"

"No, Jane and I…I'm really not good with social cues...Jane would always make fun of me…" She tailed off. Thinking of Jane was never a good way to move forward. She smiled up at Maggie. "Ya know, why not?" What did she have to lose? Jane had moved on without a second thought; maybe it was time for Maura to do the same. "Would you like to go to the summer fair with me…on a date?" she added, just to be clear they were on the same page.

Maggie's smile widened. "I would love to."

~R&I~

The summer fair was indeed the event it promised to be. There was a carnival atmosphere as everyone from all around came together to celebrate the passing of another summer. People dressed up and there were stalls selling all kinds of local produce. It was a dream come true for Maura as she perused the goods and bought jars of preserves, pickles, and baked breads.

Maggie wandered along beside her, helping to choose.

"Oh, Maura, you gotta try this!" Maggie said, suddenly excited as they came to an older lady sitting comfortably in her foldup chair. Jars of caramelised onions lined the table. One was open with small crackers piled up on a plate beside it. Maura watched as Maggie piled a spoonful on top of one and held it up for Maura to take a bite. Her eyes, grey and blue in colour, watched Maura's mouth open and accept the offering.

An explosion of flavour hit her taste buds in an instant. "Oh, wow. That is amazing," Maura confirmed, swallowing the small morsel. She found herself locked in a gaze with Maggie.

"Sorry, you have…" Maggie reached up and let her finger touch Maura's upper lip, brushing away a crumb. "You're a very beautiful woman, Maura."

Was she? Maura wasn't so sure at times. People told her that she was. They would drone on about all the wonderful things about her, and yet, nobody had as yet really seen her. Nobody, except Jane. She chided herself for clinging to a fantasy. Jane was married, she reminded herself. Jane was probably a mother by now. Maggie was…what was Maggie?

Sensing a raw nerve, Maggie swiftly changed tact. "Let's get a drink, huh? They sell the best apple cider just over there." She held her hand out and Maura took it, letting herself be dragged across the field, giggling and smiling like she hadn't done for months.

 **AN: Moving along...no vomiting, killing babies or husbands please and defo no murdering Maggie! haha, you guys crack me up with the reviews! Keep them coming... in the meantime, if you want anything else to read.. you can find all my books at Amazon!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five - Changes

Angela was in her element! The new baby was just what everyone needed, and this little one was going to be spoiled rotten. Little Luca was just like his mama, with a shock of dark hair and huge brown eyes. Looking at him, all she saw was Jane as a baby.

Of course, Casey had missed the birth. Luca had arrived earlier than expected. Casey was deployed to Afghanistan again and had to complete his tour. But now he was back. Angela wasn't sure how happy he was about that. He didn't seem to be that interested in the baby, not that Angela was complaining if it meant extra snuggle time for herself.

She let herself into Jane's apartment. It was never Jane and Casey's; just Jane's apartment. "Hey, Jane?" she called out.

Her daughter came out from the bedroom, shushing her with a finger to her lips. "I literally just got him down." She yawned and pulled her dressing gown more tightly around herself.

"Why don't you go and have a nice long soak. I'll keep an ear out for Luca while I make us some lunch." She rarely saw Jane so unkempt. Her hair needed a wash, and she looked like a week of sleep wouldn't be enough. "Is Casey helping with the baby?"

Jane sighed. "If helping means staying out of my way all night while he sleeps and Luca screams, then yeah, real helpful."

Angela put her bag down on the countertop. "Just like your father. All proud and bragging when there was someone there to show you off to, but would he get up in the night to feed you?" She threw up her hands. "And God forbid if I asked him to change you."

"Yeah, well he won't be here much longer."

Angela turned to face her. "What?" Was she done with Casey already?

"He got called back. He leaves in a couple of days, that's where he is now."

Angela turned back to her bag and began pulling vegetables out. "Oh, well I can help if you need me, you know that, right?"

Jane smiled, her eyes softening as she took in her mother. "Yeah, I know Ma."

R&I

"Maura!" Maggie's voice called out into the woods. "Where are you?" She laughed as she spun around searching for the other woman. She could hear her giggling from somewhere to the left and started out in that direction. "I am coming to get you." She bounded forward, and as she past a giant spruce she caught sight of a flash of honey blonde hair. "Uh huh! I found you." She laughed as she reached out to grab her prize.

Maura tried to dodge her, but failed and fell into her arms instead. "It seems you have." She grinned, leaning up she placed a gentle kiss against her lips.

The urge to take things further had been nudging Maggie for weeks, but her promise to take things slowly was what kept her libido in check. "We should head back; your mom should be arriving soon and you still haven't been into town yet."

Maura let her finger drag slowly down Maggie's chest. "You're right. Let's walk back." She reached down and entwined her fingers with Maggie as they strolled.

It had been a nice few weeks since the summer fair. Maggie was coming over more often and there was a spoken understanding between them. Maura had been honest about Jane. She was in love with her, but she knew that Jane had married Casey and made her choice.

They were officially dating, and Maura was happy – as happy as she could be right now with Jane haunting her soul.

"So, are you sure you're ready to meet my mother?" Maura asked. Her face lit up at the prospect of her mother visiting. It had been several weeks since her last trip, and Maura was beginning to understand what it was like to finally have the mother she wanted – and she liked it.

"Well, I can't say that I'm not nervous about it, but if she is anything like you, then…"

Maura laughed. "Oh, she is nothing like me… well, not really."

Maggie's face was a picture of surprise. "Really?"

"Oh, sweetie, don't worry…she's fun, much easier to get along with since Ja—" Her laughter trailed off. Jane had been the catalyst in bringing her mother around. She smiled sadly at the memory.

"Hey, it's okay. You can talk about Jane."

Maura sighed. "I know… I just…" She looked up at Maggie. Sweet Maggie whose eyes were a different shape, whose hair was a different colour, and whose nature was nothing like Jane Rizzoli. She didn't want to talk about Jane, or think about her and yet, she was always there, in the background. "I came here to find, I don't know, peace? A place where I could just be myself without being Jane and Maura…It's difficult to just think of myself without thinking about Jane."

"You had history, she's part of why you're who you are, I get that."

Maura let that thought sink in: history, in the past, that was Jane and Maura. "Thank you. You're so patient and understanding and I just…I didn't expect to meet someone like you, Maggie."

Maggie grinned. "You just take your time, and what will be, will be. I like you a lot Maura Isles, but I won't put pressure on you to feel the same."

Maura leaned in, her lips brushing against Maggie's. "I like you too, a lot. But you're right, I need more time."

 **AN: Hey, did you know I have a website, where you can follow me, subscribe to my newsletter and get sneak peeks at my new books before anyone else?! just search ItsClaStevOfficial**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six – New Arrival

Constance arrived in a flurry of suitcases and bags. A hired driver carried them into the cabin two at a time.

"Just put them through there please, Godfrey," she instructed as Maura stood open-mouthed, just watching. She knew her mother never flew light, but this was something else. When Godfrey was done, Constance produced her purse and handed him a folded wedge of dollar bills. "Thank you very much. I will call when and if I require your services."

Godfrey nodded politely and backed out of the cabin.

"Hello, Darling." Constance glided across the floor to kiss each cheek. When she stepped back, she had to laugh. "Oh Sweetie, do close your mouth, you'll catch flies. I decided that I'd come and stay for a while. There is something so…inspirational here, don't you think?"

"Mother, I…You want to stay? For how long?"

"Oh I don't know, I hadn't really thought about it, a month, maybe two? I really don't know, darling. Maybe for good!"

"For good? You? Here?" In her shock, she had completely forgotten about Maggie. The blonde yoga teacher stood in the kitchen area holding her coffee mug in one hand, poised to take a sip, when Maura finally turned to her.

"Goodness, I am so sorry, Maggie…Please, this is my mother, Constance. Mother, this is my…" She watched as Maggie braced herself for disappointment. "This…Maggie is my girlfriend, we've been dating for the last two months."

Constance looked at the woman Maura described, her head tilting as she took her in. She was no Jane Rizzoli, that was for sure, but she wasn't unattractive. Athletic, and from the way she was looking at Maura, clearly smitten. "Hello, Maggie. It's lovely to meet you."

Maggie placed her mug down on the countertop and moved around the island to grasp Constance Isles' hand. "Likewise."

Constance checked her watch. "I am going to take a quick nap; jetlag. Would you wake me for dinner?"

They watched her leave, gliding across the floor as though she were on wheels. Maura smiled at Maggie, a little unsure how to react. Her mother visiting was always a welcome gesture, but her mother living here? That was a different prospect altogether.

"She seems nice," Maggie said, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?"

Maggie moved in behind the distracted doctor, her arms easily sliding around Maura's waist. She rested her chin on a bony shoulder and kissed her cheek. "You okay?"

Maura sighed. Lifting her hands to cover Maggie's, she snuggled into her. "Yes, just a little…unsettled." She turned in Maggie's arms.

"I can go if you need to talk or…"

"No, what will I do all by myself while she's napping?" She winked and took Maggie's hand, leading her to the couch. It was cold outside. Fall had settled in and winter was knocking at the door. She grabbed a blanket and pulled it around them both and snuggled in.

Constance sat down on the bed and bounced a couple of times. It was a good bed; at least Maura had had the sense to make sure her guests would be as comfortable here as they were in Boston. She wasn't tired. She had slept quite comfortably on the plane. What was the point of a private jet if you didn't? But Maggie had thrown her in a spin. She hadn't been expecting that.

She picked up her bag and rifled through for her phone. Sliding the screen across with her finger, she pressed and slid until she found the number she was looking for.

"Angela," she whispered into the handset.

"Connie, how are you?" Angela spoke with her usual loud and exuberant voice. She was honestly glad to hear from her friend as often as she did. Nobody would ever have put the two of them together as friends. They were from different sides of the tracks, but they found common ground in a lot of things.

"I can't speak for long, suffice to say that I have arrived at Maura's. But we have a problem." She looked around conspiratorially, as though Maura herself was in the room with her.

"Okay," Angela whispered back. "What's the problem?"

"Maggie!"

"Who?" Angela was confused. She sat down on the couch and listened.

"Maura…" she huffed. "Maggie is Maura's girlfriend."

"WHAT?" Angela stood quickly and paced the small room. "She's seeing someone? This is not good, Connie."

"I know, I don't know what to do."

Angela thought for a moment. "Nothing changes, Connie. Maura needs to come home."

"Yes, I know. She can't hide out here forever." She rubbed her face. "I wish I knew what was in that letter she left for Jane. Maybe if we knew…"

"What? Connie, what letter?"

"The letter!" Connie cupped her hand around the handset to muffle her voice. "Maura left a letter for Jane, but whatever was in it, Jane failed to act upon."

"Connie, Jane didn't get a letter."

"She didn't? But Maura said…"

"Jane is adamant, she doesn't know why Maura left… but if she got a letter then…Oh, you just wait until I speak to her. Lying to me like that!"

 **AN: And the plot thickens...**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven - Answers

Luca was growing steadily. His chubby cheeks grinned more often than not, and Jane was grateful that he was a happy baby and not one that demanded her attention with crying all night long. At 3 months old, he was exactly where he should be in his short little life. He was the best thing to ever happen to her, she was sure of that. Meeting Maura came a close second. She missed her friend. She took photos of Luca and put them into a file on the computer to send to Maura one day. She wrote little comments and stories down, so that one day, when the time was right, Maura would know him.

She looked around the apartment. Everything in it was hers. Casey didn't own or bring a stick of furniture with him, just a couple of hold-alls and a bag to put his uniform in. Of all the photographs dotted about, he was only in two: one of them on the day they married, and one of him holding Luca. That was it, the grand sum of their life together. If she was honest, she never intended to settle down with Casey, never mind marry him. But Luca was an accident, unplanned, and she had panicked. When Casey had asked her to marry him, she just said yes. She didn't think about it, or ask Maura what she thought; she just did what she felt was best.

Casey was sleeping still. He had flown in the night before and would be leaving again in two days. Two days to be a family, and then she was a single mom again. She hadn't envisioned that when she had discovered she was pregnant. Marrying Casey was the sensible thing to do, but she thought Maura would be the person she was raising this child with. Not very conventionally, but it would be Maura that would be in Luca's life the most. Maura would be the most important person to him too, but now, he would be lucky if he ever met her.

Maura was her person.

She was the one person whom Jane wanted in her life no matter what, and she was the one person (other than her family) that she had to protect. Keeping her safe was her number one priority, because she couldn't live in a world where Hoyt got to her.

That was the reason that Jane wouldn't, not couldn't, be with Maura. No matter how much she longed for her touch. Regardless of how much the desire to act on their feelings was. She didn't care what anyone else thought, whether her mother would approve or if the church would marry them or not.

She wouldn't put her at risk, and so Casey was the safe option: a soldier, a man capable of protecting himself if Hoyt ever came, or sent another apprentice.

The man was obsessed with her and had already tried to kill her twice. He went after couples, and Jane knew the moment that he understood how she felt about Maura, that would be it. She would become his target. Jane couldn't risk that. She would rather be a little unhappy, knowing that Maura was safe, protected and happy.

She understood all of that. What she didn't understand was why Maura had left the way she had, without warning or explanation. It had pissed her off.

She sighed and lifted Luca down onto the baby mat and rolled him over onto his tummy. She had been reading that at 3 months he should be learning to strengthen his neck muscles. Rolling over in front of him, she used her hands to support his head when it rolled forward, ready to face plant into the soft, cushioned mat. "Hey Baby, you gonna show Mama how smart you are? Huh?" she encouraged him. For the first time in her life, she felt proud of herself. Yeah, Casey had been part of creating him, but this little kid, he was all hers.

She heard the key slip into the door and looked up to see her mother come in, carrying two bags of groceries. "Hey Ma, look at Luca. He's whooping neck strengthening's ass." She grinned up at her mother. Angela placed the bags down onto the countertop.

"Janie, don't use that mouth around him like that," she scolded.

"Aw Ma, he doesn't understand."

"Yet. But he will, and then you'll be sorry," she continued, walking across the floor to pick Luca up. "Hey little man, you got a hug for your Nonna?"

Jane clambered to her feet and kissed her ma's cheeks. She got it now, why Angela was such a helicopter mom. "I wasn't expecting you today."

"I know, I was just passing."

"Uh huh, with dinner?" Jane chuckled, pointing towards the groceries.

"Well, I figured I might as well be useful once I got here." She looked around the room. "Where's your husband?"

"Sleeping," Jane said casually as she poked around in the bags. She pulled out tomatoes, onions, garlic. Staples of an Italian kitchen. When Angela didn't comment as usual, she looked over at her. "You okay, Ma?"

"Sure, sure, yeah." That was the answer that was far from okay. Jane knew that answer like she knew the sun was yellow and the grass was green. She waited; it would come. Angela moved back and forth with the baby in her arms, coddling him to sleep. "I spoke to Connie."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight - Realisation

Jane's heart beat faster. Constance Isles, that could mean she had news of Maura. "And?" she said. Patience never was one of Jane's virtues.

With Luca now sleeping soundly, Angela placed him in his crib. Kissing the pads of two fingers, she pressed them to his cheek. "She said Maura sent you a letter. She said, in it Maura explained all and that you ignored it." She didn't even look at Jane while she spoke.

"I didn't get a letter, Ma." Jane sighed. "Don't you think if I'd gotten a letter, I'd have…" She threw her hands up in the air. "Maura left. She left you, me, and Luca. She left us all and if she wrote me a letter, well I didn't get it."

"So where is it?" Angela asked.

"How the hell should I know? You think I'd keep this from you?" Jane was indignant now. "I was pregnant and about to get married, you think I'd ignore her letter telling me she was leaving me?"

Angela raised an eyebrow at her choice of words.

"Ya know, maybe it's lost in the mail."

Angela shook her head, "No. she hand delivered it, right here. To this apartment. Slid it under the door and then waited, at the airport, but you didn't go…you let her go, Janie?"

"For the love of…" Jane marched across the room, her voice raised. "There was no letter."

The door to the bedroom opened and Casey wandered out, half asleep in just his PJ bottoms. His hair was ruffled and he rubbed his face. "What's all the noise?"

Jane ignored the fact that they had woken him up. "Ma thinks that I am lying about a letter. A letter I didn't get," she said again, turning towards her mother.

"Well it came to this apartment, Jane. It couldn't have just disappeared."

Jane closed her eyes. She needed to think. The last time she had physically seen Maura was at work, two days before she took off. It was the same time that Casey moved in officially. He brought all his stuff over the same day. She opened her eyes and focused them on her husband. He couldn't look at her. His eyes flitted from the floor, to Luca, even Angela, but not once did he look at Jane. The day Maura left, Jane had had a doctor's appointment, and when she got home, Casey was here, sitting on the couch. She thought back.

 _"_ _Hey, I'm home." She smiled and dropped her bag before flopping down on the couch next to him. "Guess what?" He didn't answer. "They can tell us on the next visit what the sex is."_

 _"_ _Great, that's great." He smiled at her, but it wasn't a happy smile. "You see Maura today?"_

 _"_ _Maura? No, why? Did she call?"_

 _He shook his head. "No reason." He picked up the paper and opened it. "You seeing her later?"_

 _"_ _Casey? What is this? You know I'm not, we planned a night in, right?"_

 _He nodded. "Sure, it's just…" He turned to face her and put the paper down. "You'd tell me if..."_

 _"_ _If what?"_

 _"_ _If you and Maura were…"_

 _"_ _Me and Maura?" Jane sat back to look at him. How did he know her feelings for Maura? "No, Casey, no…I'm marrying you."_

He turned and went back into the bedroom.

"Ma, watch Luca for me." She didn't wait to hear Angela's reply. She moved like a panther into their bedroom and closed the door behind her. Casey sat on the edge of the bed.

"What did you do?" She glared, hands on hips, staring down at him. There weren't many people that intimidated him, but Jane was one. He'd been blindsided by her the first time they had met.

Adoration had set in and he couldn't ever quite shake the attraction. When she had accepted his offer of a drink and told him that she was single, he had been surprised. He had seen her and Maura together and just assumed, like everyone else always did, and he wasn't wrong.

"Casey? Tell me you didn't throw out Maura's letter."

"I should have!" he shouted at her. "All this time and you've just been making a fool out of me." He wiped his hand over his head and stood. Walking to the closet, he reached up and pulled out a small leather bag. He unzipped it and pulled from it a white envelope and held it out to her.

"I married you. I chose you. You had no right to take my letter."

Embarrassment flushed his face. "I know… I just—"

"Save it, Casey." She snatched the letter out of his hand.

The aroma of Maura's perfume had been held safe by the confines of the bag. Her perfect, neat handwriting was scrawled across the front, and the small sticker with her name and return address on the back acted as a seal. It had been opened, a rip right across the sticker.

"I think maybe you should head back, today," she said coldly before leaving the room. She held the letter to her chest and walked straight into the bathroom.

~R&I~

Dear Jane,

There is no easy way to say this. I am leaving Boston. I've taken a leave of absence for a year.

I am sure I don't need to tell you how I feel, but I will do so anyway for clarity. I have known for some time now, as I believe you also have recognised, that our friendship has moved past the barrier of BFFs and onto a much more intimate plateau, and yet far from acknowledging this, you have chosen a different path. A path that leads you into the arms of a man who does not cherish you in the way that you deserve. A man who picks and chooses when you are important to him. A man who declares love without ever having understood the very essence of who you are.

I love you, Jane, with all that I have. Every cell and sinew of my physical being is tuned to you, and I want nothing more than to spend my life dedicated to making our relationship the best that it can be. But I cannot be here to watch you marry another.

So, I am going to take a flight from Logan at 10 a.m. to Saranac Lake. I will spend my time writing that book I've been talking about.

How long I will actually need to get over you, I don't know. A lifetime might not be enough. I wish you nothing but happiness. Have a wonderful life, my love. Spend your years wisely and do everything you want to do. Don't let him hold you back.

Always and forever yours,

Maura

P.S.

If there is any chance that we could be more, then don't let me leave.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine - Return

The temperature dropped dramatically at the end of November. Now, as they passed into December, it was beginning to threaten snow, and Maura was a little excited about it.

Back in Boston, when it snowed, she could never really enjoy it. They were working, and snow, the cold, it all hindered things or made it difficult to deal with. But here, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing more to do than write at her own leisure, she could enjoy it.

"Have you got the wood ready, Maura?" Maggie asked, climbing up the wooden steps that led to the deck. Maura waited to greet her at the top with soft lips. Friday afternoons were quickly becoming their time to just hang out. For a long time, Maura had hung on to Fridays, coveting them because they were hers and Jane's night, after all. But Jane wasn't here; Maggie was.

"The wood?"

"Yeah, Maura. The wood, you need to get chopping." Maggie imitated the action of using an axe. "How else are you planning to keep warm?"

"Oh, well the shed is full."

"Let me see, it's gonna get real cold soon, Maura." She wrapped her arms around her. "Though obviously I am willing to help out where I can."

Maura laughed. "I think I like that idea much more than chopping wood." Their lips met again, and this time Maggie allowed her to deepen it. Maura was getting used to losing herself in these arms, until the gentle cough from behind disrupted them. Maura rested her forehead against Maggie's chest. "Mother?"

"Hello Darling, sorry to…interrupt, but I was wondering if you'd planned on visiting Boston anytime soon? Only, I have this small exhibit I am giving and well…It would be lovely if…"

"Of course, Mother," Maura said, turning to face Constance. "When is it? I can make arrangements."

"Oh no need, I've already done it. It's Saturday, at the WALL."

"This Saturday? I don't know…"

"You should go," Maggie said against her ear. "It will do you good, maybe you can do some of that shopping you're missing." She giggled at the gentle elbow Maura threw back at her. Maura turned, a smile wide on her face.

"Why don't you come with us?"

Maggie grinned back. "Really? Cos I'd love to."

Maura kissed her gently. "Then you'd better go pack. I'll organise an extra flight."

~R&I~

Maura sat in her first-class seat and contemplated. She could hear Maggie's excitement with every word she spoke and she tried desperately to cling to it, but images of Jane forced themselves into her mind and poked at her. She was going to Boston, home. Every cell of her body wanted to call Jane and arrange to meet, lay hands on her and fall into her arms, but then she remembered Casey and the baby, Luca. Her mother had told her all about him from calls with Angela. Jane had a family now and it didn't include Maura. So, she concentrated on Maggie and the exhibition.

They would arrive at the hotel and drop off their things. Then Maura had promised to show Maggie some of the sights Boston's illustrious history had to offer before they would return to the hotel to change for the art opening that evening. They would then fly back the following day.

Touching down at Logan sent shivers down Maura's spine. She smiled to herself and waited patiently for the pilot to let them know that it was safe to get up and move around. They would be among the first passengers to get off the plane, and once through security, they would be whisked off by chauffer-driven car.

"I can't believe I just flew first-class." Maggie's face beamed, and Maura couldn't help but be caught up in the moment of it with her.

"Whatever you want to do today, we will do," Maura replied, reaching for her travel bag.

Maggie leant in close. "How about staying in bed?"

"Well, that could be arranged, but we can do that any day. I thought we could take a nice stroll around the Common."

Maggie passed her arm around Maura's shoulder, kissing the side of her head. "Whatever you want, babe. I am all yours this weekend."

~R&I~

Jane had wrapped up well. Luca was snug as a bug in his stroller. She had needed some air and a break from her mother. Since Casey had left, Angela had made it her mission to be there for Jane, to help her through the break up! The last thing Jane needed was her mother's helicoptering around her.

She sighed and thought about exactly what she did need: Maura. By now, she had hoped things would have been easier. Instead, everything seemed that much more difficult. Having Luca helped a lot. The little boy was the only good thing to come out of any of this.

She pushed the stroller and sang gently to Luca as they walked. Not that he was paying any attention to her. Eyes just like his mama's darted around, taking in his surroundings. Familiar surroundings. He loved the trees, even with their bare limbs now, the leaves long gone and withered away. His little button nose was a little red. "Just like Rudolph," Jane smiled down at him. "Santa will be coming soon, little man."

The last thing she expected to see when she turned the corner towards the bandstand was Maura Isles. She sucked in a breath and readied herself to run, pushing the stroller as fast as she could, and then she would grab hold and swing her into the air while admitting just how much she loved her and wanted her to come home. But something stopped her. A gut instinct made her stop and take stock of the scene in front of her. Another woman stood by her side. A woman who was familiar with her old friend. Touching her and…leaning in to kiss her. She felt the air abandon her lungs, her chest hurting in ways she had never felt before. All she could do was turn and walk away.

 **AN: Many thanks for all the messages and reviews... HBO 123, thanks for the suggestion to write professionally ;) you can find my books on Amazon... just search Claire Highton- Stevenson.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten – Art Show

Constance Isles swanned around the venue with an ease that only an accomplished woman could pull off. She moved from guest to guest so perfectly that nobody ever noticed she was brushing them off for the next cheque book to come along. Her work tonight was available for sale, with all the profits going towards a local charity, so she was eager to cajole them into parting with as much money as possible.

She looked across the room and noticed Maggie. A nice girl, sweet in her own way, and if Maura truly wanted to spend her life with her then Constance would climb on board with that, but not before she had exhausted every trick to get Jane back into her life! Jane wasn't a nice, sweet girl; Jane was a force. A soulmate, the kind of woman who would bring passion and excitement to Maura's life.

Angela had kept her up to date with little Luca. He was a joy. And now, Casey was gone. She had hardly kept the smile from her face since Angela had sent a quick text with the news. Both of them agreed that it wasn't their place to inform Maura, but if they could just get them into the same room together, then maybe the natural course of events would bring them together. Of course, she hadn't expected Maggie to have tagged along.

As though thinking of her had conjured her up, Angela appeared at the door…alone! That wasn't the plan either. Constance made her apologies to the woman she was speaking to and glided effortlessly across the floor until she was standing beside Angela.

"Connie, this is amazing," Angela gushed as she looked around at all the opulence and art adorning the walls, floor, and people.

Constance grasped Angela's elbow and led her aside. "Where is Jane?" she whispered hurriedly, aware that Maura could appear at any time.

"She wouldn't come. She said she knew Maura was in town and she wasn't going to be the one to make things awkward tonight."

"Dammit," Connie hissed. "The entire night was planned around Jane being here."

Angela leant in. "I know, but what could I do?" She shrugged. Her face lit up into a huge grin as she noticed Maura for the first time in more than three months. "Maura," she called out. The honey blonde's head swivelled at the calling of her name. She smiled shyly and walked towards the woman she considered another mother.

"Angela, how are you?" She barely had the words out before she was wrapped inside a Rizzoli hug. God, how she missed those. When Angela pulled back, she held her at arm's length and studied her.

"You're not eating enough. Come by the house tomorrow, I've got some of that chicken cacciatore you love."

"Thank you, I'm not sure we will have time. Our flight is quite early."

"Nonsense, I'll be up. And you virtually have to drive past to get to the airport," she implored with all the guilt an Italian mother had learned these past 40 years. "Come home, Maura," she threw in as a last plea.

Maura didn't reply. Instead she used Maggie to change the subject. "Oh, where are my manners? Angela, this is Maggie. Maggie, Angela." The introduction felt awkward. Like introducing your ex-wife's mother to the new wife, only nobody had been married…except Jane.

Angela sized her up before finally smiling and holding out a hand. No Rizzoli hugs.

"Nice to meet you, Maura has told me so much about you all," Maggie said.

Angela wasted in no time in grabbing her chance. "Oh, I am sure she only told you the good bits! The times her and Janie got into some kind of trouble." She shook her head, laughing. "My Janie and Maura were like that." She held up two fingers, one crossed over the other. "Couldn't separate them."

Maggie's smile slipped a little at the mention of Jane. "I have heard a few tales."

"Its always nice to have a new friend," Angela said, turning to Maura as she said it.

Maura smiled, felt the hit of that jibe, and batted back. "Maggie is my girlfriend, Angela. My partner; we're seeing each other."

If she expected that to make Angela Rizzoli uncomfortable, she was wrong. "Oh, wonderful," she said. And then she added, "I always thought you and Janie would end up together." She glanced across the room and found Constance waving her over. "If you'll excuse me, your mother wants to introduce me to a gorgeous man called George."

Maura tried to smile, but the realisation that Angela knew, and more, would have been in favour of it, hit her for six. She felt the light touch of a hand at her back, and instantly her mind swarmed with images of Jane.

"Hey, you okay?" Maggie's kind voice spoke quietly against her ear.

She nodded. "Yes, if you'll excuse me though, I need to…the bathroom, I'll be right back."

Maggie watched as Maura walked away. A touch of sadness enveloped her as she realised that Boston and more specifically, Jane Rizzoli, were where Maura felt most at ease. She had noticed it all day, from the moment the plane had touched down. Something had lifted in Maura, and her smile was no longer forced. She wondered how somebody who was as brilliant as Det. Jane Rizzoli was supposed to be could be so blind.

~R&I~

Maura stood at the mirror reapplying her lipstick – one, she noted, Jane had bought her last Christmas as part of a set. So many memories of Jane. The door opened and closed. Heeled footsteps moved into the room. Maura's eyes closed, willing herself to just get through tonight, and then she could go. Back to the mountains. Not home; home would always be here.

"Maura?" She felt herself smile as she heard her name said in that familiar raspy tone. Did she dare to look?

Opening her eyes, she saw herself in the reflection of the mirror. And there she was, the one woman who could break her world and then put it all back together again with a single sentence.

"Ma told me that you would be here. I wasn't going to come, but…" She looked good. A simple black dress, her hair up. Maura continued to look. "I just…actually, I saw you earlier, today, at the Common." Her words seemed to be tumbling out before she could think them through. "You looked…happy. Are you?"

Maura turned to face her. A face she hadn't seen in months. She looked tired and something else: sad. "Jane, I…" She took a step forward.

"Are you happy, Maura?"

She nodded. "Yes, I am happy." She wanted to add a but, but there was no chance to.

Jane smiled, dimples popping. "Then I'm glad." Eyes lingered like they always did. "I should go, I just…I just wanted to see you one more time."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven – Mountains

The new year brought with it a fresh layer of snow. Maura had the cabin to herself, Constance having decided it was much more fun to spend the holidays with friends – the Rizzolis. Apparently, Angela had invited them all, Maggie included, but as Maura wasn't reading her email, she didn't get the invite that was sent, though Constance made sure to tell her.

Maggie had stayed for Christmas and they had spent a lovely time together, sharing gifts and drinking champagne. It had been quiet, virtually snowed in. But Maggie had had to leave for New Year to visit with her family. She invited Maura, but it just didn't seem the right, and that bothered Maura. They'd been dating for months now and yet, Maura was in no rush to integrate herself into Maggie's life. She liked Maggie.

It had been almost a year already since she had left. A few more weeks and she would need to come to a decision. She would either have to resign or return.

Her thoughts were broken by the high-pitched ping of an email coming through. She opened her laptop and brought up the page. It was from her mother.

Darling,

Wishing you had been here, it's been such fun. Angela outdid herself with the food as usual, and the boys send their love.

Korsak wants to know when you're returning, the current replacement is a bit of a fool apparently.

I have added some photographs. Everyone insisted on taking them and sending them to you, they all miss you, Darling. Especially Jane, though she doesn't say very much lately. But, her little Luca, oh he is such a pleasure. You're missing out on so much. When are you going to come home?

Much love,

Mother

Maura closed the laptop and took a swallow from her wine glass. Why couldn't they all just accept that this was where she needed to be, the mountains. Curiosity got the better of her and she opened the laptop again. She re-read the email and then opened the attachments: 4 photographic Jpegs.

The first was of Constance and Angela holding Luca between them. They were all covered in flour and laughing. Luca looked so much like Jane. She couldn't deny that she had missed so much of his young life already. He had a tooth now.

The second photo was of Frankie, Tommy, and Korsak, with Nina photo bombing in the background. Maura laughed out loud. She touched each face on the screen. She missed them all, of course she did, but the mountains held a protective curtain for her. A physical barrier between her heart and Jane.

Photo number three was of TJ holding his baby cousin. Two peas in a pod.

The last photo was a group shot. Frankie had clearly set the timer and was caught running halfway between. Everyone in the photo was laughing or encouraging him to get back in time. All except Jane. The once confident detective hung at the back of the shot, hidden behind Tommy and Korsak. She looked sad still. Maura scoured the faces for Casey, but he wasn't there. Another deployment maybe; being an army wife probably wasn't much fun.

She printed off copies and slipped them into the drawer of her desk.

~R&I~

Angela Rizzoli was a resourceful woman. Family meant everything to her, and Maura's absence hurt her heart. When Jane left to take Luca home, Angela gathered the troops. She lined them all up on the couch in Maura's living room and explained the situation.

"So, I want all of you to swear that nothing said in this room, leaves this room."

"What happens in fight club, stays in fight club." Tommy grinned as he fist pumped the air. Angela and Constance both glared.

"I think we are all on the same page when I say that we all want Maura to come home, correct?" Constance asked the group and was rewarded with furious nods and the odd quizzical stare. "Good, so we know that by April the 1st Maura must either return or resign from her post."

Korsak sighed. "I just can't take it if she doesn't come back. The new guy's a tool, and as for Jane…"

"Yeah, well that's part of the reason," Angela began. "Look, I know none of you are stupid, we all saw it right?"

The group looked at each other, each wondering if they were being asked what they thought they were. "That uh, Jane and Maura…" Frankie stuttered.

"Were doing it?" Tommy interjected.

"What? No, that's not what…" Frankie shouted at his brother.

"Oh come on, they so were," Tommy continued to argue his corner and got a punch in the arm from Frankie.

"Hey, hey, enough…" Angela shouted, breaking up the fisticuffs. "As far as we are aware, there was no _doing it_." She glared at Tommy, who got an _I told ya so_ look from Frankie.

All heads turned when Constance said, "Well, let's face it, they both wanted to."

Chapter Twelve – Accidents and Thespians

When Maggie finally returned from her trip home, Maura was beyond happy. She had missed her companion. Although they were sleeping together in the sense of carnal exploration, it was rare that they spent more than two or three nights together. Maura was a sexual being, by her own admission. She liked sex, and she liked sex with Maggie. But something was always missing – something that she lacked, not Maggie. Her lover gave her her all. Her passion and presence were always in the room with them, which was more than could be said for Maura.

Her mother's extended trip to Boston had been prolonged once more. _Just a few more days_ , she had said into the phone the previous night. _We're having such fun, Angela and I._ Maura loved it that they got along so famously. It did her own mother good to have Angela as guidance.

She stretched and slid further under the covers against the warmth of Maggie, their naked skin flushed still from the exertion of making love. Her phone rang, the ringing sounding louder in the silence of the room. The snow outside had created a blanket that seemed to amplify the noise.

She ignored it, but then it rang again. And again. Now, with a sense of foreboding she climbed from beneath the covers and pulled her dressing gown around her, tightly tying the belt. It was her mother's number calling. She hit redial and prepared herself to give her mother a good speaking-to about boundaries.

"Hello, Maura?" Her heart beat rapidly. It was Jane.

"Yes, Jane…is everything alright?" Hundreds of questions began to run through her mind. She ran a hand through her hair and sat down.

"Maura, there's been an accident."

"What? What's happened?"

"Hey, its okay…look, Connie, she stepped out to cross the street and a courier on a bike, ya know the speedy ones that think they're racing at the Olympics…" She chuckled, but Maura remained silent, taking it all in. "Well, anyway, she got knocked down. She's okay, just banged up a little bit and she's…broken her wrist."

"What? Jane, this is serious. Which one?" An artist couldn't afford to injure their hand. She needed to go to Boston and find out for herself how bad this was.

"I dunno…I wasn't there. Ma called me to the hospital. I got there when they were fixing her up, so I didn't see her. Ma just thrust her phone at me and told me to call you, so that's what I am doing."

"Thank you, I'll be on the next available flight."

"Okay, you want me to pick you up from the airport?" Jane asked hopefully. She could bring Luca, they could finally meet each other.

Maura looked across to the bed at Maggie, who was now sitting up and listening to the conversation, concerned. "No, that's quite alright, Maggie and I will get a cab."

She heard the intake of breath, but Jane didn't comment any further other than to say goodbye and hang up.

"Is everything okay?" Maggie asked. She was up now, the sheet wrapped around her. Maura nodded, but when the tears welled, she grasped hold of Maggie and let her hold her.

~R&I~

She went straight to the hospital only to find that Constance Isles had already left. Of course, they couldn't tell her anything, regardless of the fact that she was the patient's daughter. Which meant only one thing: Maura was going home.

When the second cab pulled up outside of Maura's Beacon Hill address, Maggie whistled. "This is a pretty swell neighbourhood."

"Yes, I suppose it is," Maura said, paying the driver. She looked around and up at her house. She had missed it. "Well, let's get inside and warm up." Fishing her keys from her bag, she felt a little weird to be entering her own front door without knocking first. Maggie wheeled both suitcases behind her and waited patiently.

"You alright?" she asked quietly.

"Yes." Maura nodded. "It's just…I guess it's been a long time since I lived here." She placed her palm flat against the door as though she were caressing a loved one. "I didn't realise how much I missed it."

"Home is where the heart is, so they say." Maggie smiled and placed a chaste kiss to Maura's cheek.

Inside, the house was quiet. Her running shoes were exactly where she had left them, just inside the door where she had kicked them off last. The house was clean; she had made sure to organise a weekly cleaner while she was gone. She placed her keys inside a bowl, out of habit, and wandered further in, her eyes taking it all in as she teased gloves from her fingers. It smelt like home.

"I'll take these up, shall I?" Maggie asked, jutting her chin towards the stairs.

Maura smiled. "Yes of course, 2nd door on the right." She wandered into the kitchen, listening to Maggie climb the stairs with the two small bags. They didn't bring much; Maura had plenty already here, and Maggie was just a light traveller. From the kitchen window, she could see the guesthouse at the other end of the yard. A light was on, illuminating shadows of its occupants.

Her heels click-clacked across the hardwood floor to the stairs. She didn't wear heels often now; at the cabin there was little need of more than a pair of sneakers or her hiking boots. Wearing the heels today was just another small reminder of the little things she missed about Boston. "Maggie, I'm just going to run across to the guest house. I shouldn't be long."

"Sure thing babe," Maggie called back. "I'll just finish unpacking."

~R&I~

Constance Isles was many things. She was accomplished in many ways, but nobody knew just how good of an actress she could be, except for Angela. It was true that she had been run down by an overeager courier on a bicycle. And it was true that Angela had taken her into the emergency department for a once over, where, other than a few bruises, a couple of scrapes and some damaged pride, she was declared fit, well, and healthy and sent on her way. Angela Rizzoli was also many things, a wonderful mother for one. She had learned many ways in which to be sneaky and gather intel on her three children over the years. She knew which buttons a mother could push and which reactions they would garner. Which was why she had suggested this subterfuge to Connie.

It wasn't even that difficult. They had had plenty of time. While Connie rested in the hospital cafeteria, Angela had purchased a few extra bandages and a wrist support. A quick visit to the ladies' room, and Connie walked out with a bandage wrapped perfectly around her head, her wrist in a splint, and a limp she hadn't had when she walked in. It was perfect.

They called Jane and explained what had happened. She rushed to the hospital as they knew she would and fell for it hook, line, and sinker. "Maura however, might be a harder fish to catch, being that she is a doctor and will be insistent that she check me over."

"Just swat her off. Tell you don't need a second opinion for a concussion," Angela said, watching through the window as Maura marched down the path. She turned around to face Connie, holding Luca in her arms. "If she starts to get too fussy, I'll bring in our secret weapon." She grinned, turning Luca to face her. "You'll help your Nonnas, won't you, little man?"

Chapter Thirteen – Missing You

"Maura, stop fussing. I am perfectly fine." Constance Isles said, swatting her daughter's insistent inspection away. "What I'd really love, Darling, is a decent cup of tea. Wouldn't you love a cup of tea, Angela?" She had noticed how often her daughter's eyes flitted across, not to look at Angela, but Luca.

Maura inhaled slowly, her eyes narrowing at her mother. "Fine, I'll organise lunch too, I suppose." She eyed both women as she crossed her arms over her chest. They were up to something.

"Oh, here, Maura, it's okay, I can do it. I have everything Connie needs right here. Can you just take…" Angela didn't wait to finish the sentence before she pushed little Luca into Maura's arms. "Luca, he's a really good baby, not spitty at all."

Before Maura could complain and find a way out of holding Jane's child, Angela was already boiling the kettle. She held him rigid in her arms, not quite sure how to deal with this new problem. He was looking at her, with Jane's eyes staring right back at her. For a moment, she was mesmerised by the tiny version of Jane in her arms. He even smelled like her. She breathed him in, breathed Jane in, that hint of lavender. She missed it.

Luca began to fidget, his little legs kicking, eyes wet with tears. He had Jane's dimple. She pulled him closer to her, wrapping her palm gently around the back of his head as she rocked him, shushing against the soft feather-light dark hair that covered his head.

She was so engrossed in this small child that she hadn't heard the door to the guest house open. "Hey, Ma, there's a movie on tonight, I was thinking we…" Jane stopped speaking the moment she realised that Maura Isles held her son. "Maura, I…I didn't think you'd be here yet."

Maura spun around, eyes wide like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Without a word she thrust Luca at his mother, brushing past Jane and out of the room.

"What the hell just happened?" Jane said, turning away from Maura's departing figure to that of her mother and Constance. She held Luca just the way that Maura had held him.

"What happened, is you threw Casey out and you need to tell her that!" Angela said, turning to Jane.

~R&I~

Maura came through the back door like a whirlwind, the door slamming shut behind her as she opened the door to the refrigerator. She grabbed the unopened bottle of chardonnay and began the process of opening it and pouring a glass. Maggie stood back and watched the scene unfold.

"Everything okay?" she asked. Maura flinched; she hadn't even noticed Maggie in the room, so angry was she with herself for her reaction to Jane – no, her reaction to Luca.

Taking a long swallow, she placed the glass down gently and tried a smile. "Yes, I just…long day. Would you like one?"

Maggie shook her head. "No, and you might want to stop after that one too, someone called Korsak called, he said he heard you were in town and wondered if he could get some advice from you over a case they're working." Maura made no attempt to reply. She just stood there with her left arm wrapped around herself, glass in her right hand, and so Maggie continued. "I said you'd call him back, I hope that was alright to do?"

~R&I~

He had been very persuasive on the phone, and she had found herself making a promise to come out and look over the scene the following morning. Tonight she just wanted to drink wine and relax without thinking about Jane Rizzoli.

When morning came, Maggie watched from the bed as Maura got dressed. She had never seen her as Dr Isles, before and it was something of an eye opener. Maura at the mountains was still a classy and well-dressed woman, but nothing like this. She was spectacular. "You miss this, don't you?"

Maura looked at Maggie in the mirror as she put the other earring in. "What?"

"This? Dressing up, heading out to a crime scene?"

"I miss the mountains too." She grinned. Securing the clasp finally, she stood and checked her appearance just once more. "I shouldn't be too long," she said, leaning over the bed to kiss Maggie's cheek. "And then we can go for lunch somewhere nice, there's a wonderful little French restaurant I am dying to show you."

~R&I~

The crime scene was bereft of everything and everyone. Just Korsak stood there waiting for her arrival. She ducked under the crime tape and smiled as her old friend walked towards her.

"Maura, it's so good to see you," he said, pulling her into a bear hug. His overpowering aftershave filled her senses and brought with it a flood of memories. "I know that officially you're not here, but we're stuck with this and I just figured, another set of eyes…" He tailed off as she smiled at him.

"Of course, Vince. Let's take a look." He walked her through the scene, explaining where the body was found. Johnathon Sharp, 24 years old, found hanging from the rafter.

"But the door was shut and bolted from the inside. All of the windows were locked." She nodded, taking in all of the information. It was a loft apartment. Uncovered beams lined the roof, four altogether.

She could see the issue already. "Did somebody move the chair?" It was at least ten feet away.

He shook his head, smiling. She already knew what it was they were struggling with. The smile dropped from his face slowly as she looked past her at someone else entering the room. "Rizzoli, what are you doing here?"

Maura spun around and came face to face with Jane. Their eyes met and held, and for a moment, it felt like the old days. Jane smiled and those big brown eyes lit up, the dimple popped, and then she looked away over to Korsak. "Frankie said you were here," she said, looking back towards Maura.

"I should get going," Maura said, before turning to Korsak. "Was there a wet patch on the floor when you arrived?"

Korsak nodded. "Yeah, how did you…"

"I assume it was hot in here too, a fire or heater switched on high?" She knelt down beside a darker stain. "He used an ice-block. Slipped the noose around his neck and stood on the block. It probably wasn't too big, but as the ice melted…"

"He lost consciousness and then slowly suffocated," Jane finished.

"Yes, precisely." She picked up her bag and began to walk towards the door.

"Maura, wait," Jane said. She looked to Korsak, who got the message.

"I'll head back to the station. Thanks again, Maura." She smiled and touched his arm has he passed. She had missed him.

She stood there, waiting by the door, her bag held in both hands swung gently in front of her.

"Are you coming home, Maura?" Jane asked, straight to the point. She stood there in all her glory. Raven curls hung loosely, framing her beautiful face and falling down over the shoulders of her form-fitting suit. She looked good, too good.

"I don't know. I haven't decided anything." She spoke honestly.

Jane ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "Does she still make you happy, Maur?"

"Maggie? Yes, she makes me happy."

Jane nodded, swallowing down the hurt. "I just…I didn't get the letter. I wanted you to know that. Casey…he, he hid it."

Maura nodded. Did it make any difference now? "I should get going. It was good to see you, Jane."

Jane took a step forward and then another. Maura backed up, keeping the distance, until there was nowhere to go and her back hit something hard. She swallowed as Jane gained on her. "Can we maybe, could we have dinner or something before you leave?" She was so close now that Maura couldn't avoid looking at her.

"I… I I'm not sure, I have to look after my mother, and then there is Maggie."

Jane nodded. "I understand, I'd just like the opportunity to put things right between us." She reached up and tucked a piece of honey blonde hair back into place behind Maura's ear. "I miss you."

The whimper that left Maura's throat was loud in the silent room. When Jane's warm palm cupped her cheek, she couldn't stop herself from leaning into it. "I have to go. Maggie is waiting." She pressed her palm against Jane's chest and forced her to take a step backwards, allowing her to escape. She took the steps down almost two at a time until she got outside, sucking in lungsful of air.

Chapter Fourteen – Changes

Maura Isles was not an angry person, and so she was shocked with her own reaction to Jane's news. All this time she had been angry with Jane, had assumed that Jane just didn't care, but in fact, the problem hadn't been Jane at all, but Casey.

Casey Jones had come between them in every way a person possibly could, and she hated him for it. She hated herself for being so mean, but she was still angry with Jane. She was the one who put him between them in the first place.

She drove within the speed limit, her brain in overdrive with what to do. Nothing, that was what she decided. She would do nothing because there was nothing to be done. Jane had Casey and she had Maggie. It was that simple.

Arriving back home, she pulled into the drive and sat there, thinking.

Not more than 2 minutes later did Jane's cruiser pull in behind her. Maura ignored it, assuming that Jane was collecting Luca from Angela. She wasn't, and Maura watched, horrified, as she stalked up to the side of the car and squatted down to look into Maura's window.

She gave the universal sign for _wind down your window_ and Maura ignored her, refusing to turn and look at her. Jane then used a knuckle to rap lightly on the glass. "Maura, come on, please. We need to talk."

Maura pressed the button and the window came down. "We most certainly do not."

"I just want to explain, Maura."

"There is no need, I understand all that I need to know. You choose Casey, every time, and I don't need to hear about it." She grabbed her bag and pushed the door open, forcing Jane to step back. "We used to be friends, Jane…"

"We are, Maura."

"No, we haven't been friends for a long time. You make choices that work for you, well now I am making the choices that are right for me."

Maura turned on her heels and saw Maggie in the open doorway. Her face showed no emotions. Maura turned back to Jane. "Thank you, Detective, but if you'll excuse me, I have a date with my girlfriend."

"Hi Jane," Maggie called out with a wave.

"Hey," Jane called back, a defeated smile on her lips.

Maura placed a gentle kiss to the corner of Maggie's mouth. "Give me 10 minutes and I'll be ready to take you to the most amazing restaurant you will ever eat in."

She brushed past Maggie and into the house without a further look at Jane. Maggie hesitated to shut the door. The detective looked distraught. She looked back into the house, where Maura was already halfway up the stairs. "Jane," she called out, taking a step forward. When Jane turned her way, she closed the distance. "Is everything okay?"

Jane regarded the woman and then smiled a thin smile. "Yeah, you take care of her though, alright? She deserves the best anyone can give her."

"I know." She watched as Jane walked away, climbed into her car, and reversed out of the drive.

~R&I~

The restaurant was exactly how Maura had described it, and Maggie enjoyed every morsel of whatever Maura ordered. They shared some wine and a chocolate mousse dessert, but conversation was stilted.

"Maura, what's going on?" Maggie finally asked as they walked back towards the car.

When Maura stopped walking, Maggie stopped too, turning to face her. "I'm sorry, Maggie. I guess I just…it's a little weird being back here."

"You miss it, them?"

"Them?"

"Your friends," she said before adding, "Jane."

Maura smiled sadly. "Of course, but…" She leaned in and kissed her. "I'm sorry, this is our time." She took her hand and started to walk again. "Let's go home, where I can make it up to you."

"Actually…" Maggie stopped walking, and Maura came to a halt too. "I was going to talk to you when we got back, but maybe…maybe now is the time to talk about it."

"Alright," Maura said with a nervous chuckle.

"When I went to see my folks, I kinda had to do some thinking of my own, and I thought I'd come to the right conclusion, but now…"

"Maggie, I don't…you'll need to explain because I'm really not good with trying to read between the lines."

Maggie smiled, cupping Maura's cheek in her palm. "I know, it's one of the things that I love about you, but that's just it…I love you, Maura." Maura blushed, and when her mouth opened to speak, Maggie placed a finger to her lips. "The thing is, I've been offered the opportunity to grow my business, there's a studio that is just perfect for me. Your place is here Maura, not in the mountains. You're missed here, and I can see how much you miss it."

"Maggie, I…" She wanted to explain. It wasn't that she didn't love her, she did in her own way, but it wasn't the same love that she held for Jane, and that was what Maggie deserved.

"It's fine, Maura." She leant in and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to go back, organise my life and go back to Michigan to set up the new studio." She smiled sadly. "I want nothing but happiness for you, Maura, and I wish, I wish that it was with me, I really do, because I know that I could make you happy. But I see the way she looks at you."

"Who? Jane?"

Maggie chuckled. "Yeah, Jane. She loves you, and you love her."

Maura shook her head. "She has Casey,"

"And you have me, but it's not me that you want."

"Maggie, that's not…" She was about to say true, but it was. She wouldn't lie to Maggie, not now. "I can be happy with you."

"I know," she said, taking her hands and kissing her knuckles. "But that's not enough, Maura. I want to be with someone that can't imagine a day without me."

A single tear slid down Maura's cheek, and Maggie pulled her into her arms and they clung to each other. "There will always be love for you within my heart."

"Thank you." Maura sobbed and clung more tightly.

Chapter Fifteen – Home.

She dropped Maggie off at the airport. It was a sad and emotional goodbye, but when Maura sat down later by herself, in her own living room, surrounded by her own life, she knew that Maggie had been right. This was home.

She sat quietly, motionless for the most part, and dissected her entire life, year by year. The solitude of her childhood, the disconnect from her parents through her teenage years and early twenties. The time she spent abroad when she blossomed into the beginnings of the woman she was today, and then there were the Rizzolis, specifically Jane. The one woman who had managed to learn all her quirky ways and actually liked her social awkwardness.

Her silence was shattered when Constance and Angela came in through the back door, laughing about something they had heard on the radio. "Oh, Maura…just the woman," Angela said, still chuckling and kissing Luca's cheek.

Constance limped past Angela and came to sit beside Maura, patting her knee once she was comfortable.

"Yes, Angela, what can I help you with?" As she spoke, Constance narrowed her eyes and watched her daughter.

"Are you and Maggie joining us all for Sunday dinner tomorrow?"

"Oh, uh no. Maggie had to go back to…She went home," Maura admitted. She felt her mother's palm touching her arm. She looked at her and smiled sadly.

"Has something happened?"

Maura nodded sadly. A tear loosened and fell. "We decided, well Maggie was honest enough to acknowledge that maybe we both wanted different things."

~R&I~

Jane was finishing off her shift. She'd already ripped Korsak a new one for not including her in speaking with Maura. It was her case too. She didn't notice the conspiratorial wink he gave Frankie. The plan was simple and had been executed to perfection.

Maura at the crime scene this morning had thrown her for a loop. Since Casey had gone, she had read and re-read Maura's letter more times that she could admit, and each time it had pierced her heart a little more. The thought that Maura had left because she thought Jane didn't care, or love her, stabbed at her own heart. She loved that woman more than she loved herself. Only Luca had a bigger place in her heart than Maura. But then she remembered Maggie.

Her phone buzzed, a text message. She ignored it and picked up a file. The first page had little interest and she moved on to the next. Halfway down the page, another text beeped. She sighed and closed the file. Picking the phone up, she saw her mother's name on the screen. Her initial reaction was fear; was Luca okay? She took a deep breath, realising that if anything had happened then her mother would have called, not texted. She swiped the screen anyway and read the message.

Helicopter Sitter: Come home, Maura's upset. Maggie's gone.

Helicopter Sitter: Now, Jane!

She grabbed her coat and keys and headed out. "Korsak, I gotta go. Maura's…I gotta go, alright?"

"Sure Jane."

~R&I~

Constance had stayed with Maura. Jane found Angela in the guest house with Luca. The baby had needed a diaper change and a feed, so Angela has used the opportunity to send the message to Jane. "Ma, what's going on?" She took Luca from Angela and kissed his rosy cheek. He was teething, his first tooth trying to push through. Angela gave him a teething ring that seemed to quiet him.

"Maggie, she's gone."

"Gone?"

"Gone. Left, no longer here," Angela said sarcastically. "Now, you can swoop in there and…"  
"And what, Ma?" Jane said, bouncing Luca gently. "I can't be with her, I've told you this."

"But Jane, you love her."

"Yeah Ma, and that's why…you know this."

Angela wiped the countertop down and remained quiet. These girls frustrated the hell out of her.

"Ma, come on, don't do that."

"Do what?" Angela shrugged and feigned indifference.

Jane pointed at her. "That, that silent treatment bullshit."

"Language, don't use that mouth around my grandbaby."

"He doesn't care, Ma," Jane said moving around the counter. "I know you just want what's best for me. You love me so much, right, that you want the best for me." When Angela nodded, Jane added, "That's how I feel about Maura."

Angela nodded. "Baby, just…it's Maura, honey. She's over there and she needs a friend."

"I'll try, okay, Ma…But if she sends me away, you gotta accept that, okay?" She smiled at her mother and breathed deeply before heading to the door. "Oh and Ma, tell Constance to remember to limp on the right leg. Maura will spot it in an instant."

~R&I~

Jane knocked on the back door and entered Maura's home. She found her friend in the kitchen, the kettle boiling as she prepared cups for tea. Constance nodded and smiled. "Jane." She reached out touched her arm. "Maura was just making tea, maybe you could join her? I am feeling a little tired, my head still aches a little."

Maura turned in alarm. "You still have a headache? Temperature? Any pain anywhere—"

"Maura, Darling…I am fine, I just need a lie down. I am sure Jane here can keep you company, you have lots to catch up on." Before Maura could make any further comment, Constance had limped out of the door.

The silence between them was loud. Maura finished making her tea, including one for Jane, though she hadn't asked if she wanted one. When she took the tray into the living room, Jane followed.

"I should have expected that Angela would send you over," Maura said, pouring the tea into a cup.

"She's worried about you…we all are," Jane replied, taking a seat opposite. The days of squashing up together on the couch were behind them.

Maura held up a cup and saucer for Jane to take. "I'm perfectly fine. I came to check on my mother." Jane took the cup and Maura began to pour her own cup. "You do know there is nothing wrong with her, don't you?"

Jane nodded. "Yep,"

"Hmm, I'm not sure what she is up to…"

"They want us to talk," Jane butted in. "And they want you to come home, everyone does."

Maura tilted her head. "Everyone?"

Jane grinned and nodded. "Yes."

"Even Casey?" Maura said, sipping her tea.

Jane breathed deeply, placed her cup down on the table. "I wouldn't know what Casey wants." When Maura didn't comment, she continued. "I didn't get your letter Maura, Casey took it and hid it from me."

"Would it have made any difference if you had?"

Jane shrugged. "Yes and no."

Maura waited for further explanation. She wasn't sure what she had expected the answer to have been.

"It would have stopped me from marrying Casey," Jane admitted. "And I would have come to the airport."

"But not because you wanted me."

Jane stood up and paced. She ran her hand through tangled raven locks and then stopped, turning to face Maura. "You know how I feel."

"Do I?"

"Yes! That's why you wrote me the letter, why you tried to force my hand."

Maura looked away, knowing the truth in those words.

"You know…that I love you."

Maura closed her eyes. She didn't dare look at her. To hear the words she had longed for and know that a "but" was going to follow it up was a torturous mix of wonder and pain.

"I can't be responsible for…while he is alive, I can't…"

"Your marriage vows are important, of course. I think you should go, Jane. Go home back to your husband and your life together and let me… let me live mine," she pleaded.

Jane sighed and threw her hands up in the air. "Casey's gone, Maura. I threw him out the minute I discovered he had stolen your letter, before I even knew what you had said in it."

"I…I don't understand…" Maura stood herself now, pacing the room as Jane had done. "If not Casey…then why?"

"Hoyt."

"Hoyt?" Now Maura really was confused. "He's in prison, Jane. Why would he have any…"

"Because he kills couples Maura, and while he lives, and he obsesses over me…I can't let him know, he would find out about you and then you'd be his target. You, Maura!"

Maura remained silent, letting the information sink in. She had been gone for almost a year, and their relationship strained for much longer.

"And what about your child?"

Jane turned sharply to face her. "What?"

"Your child, Jane. Do you think a child is immune from someone like Hoyt?"

"What? No…What do you mean?"

Maura was livid. The time they had wasted. The lives they had interacted with and hurt. "You brought a child into the world…a world that's so dangerous for you that you couldn't let yourself love me?"

"That's now…I'd die protecting Luca," Jane argued.

"And that's just how you were with me, Jane. Hoyt tried and failed because you stopped him."

Tears streaked down Jane's face as she remembered. "I can't lose you," she stuttered.

"But you have! Don't you see that?" Maura shouted. "You chose Casey and you lost me!"

Jane moved in, bringing them close to one another. "But you can come home, now that Casey is gone we can…"

"We can what, Jane? We can spend our evenings snuggled on the sofa, best friends raising your child together?"

Jane nodded, wiping the tears away, "Yes! That's…"

"No! No, Jane that's not…I can't be just your friend, I want more and if you can't… _won't_ , give it to me then my home is elsewhere."

~R&I~

The mountains were cold and misty. Maura had arrived back the previous day with Constance in tow and immediately set about cleaning the cabin from top to bottom. Anything to keep herself busy.

Constance had given up the pretence of an injury after Maura had put her and Angela straight. She made it clear to both of them that they were to stop interfering. Jane had made her choices and that meant Maura had all the answers she needed.

She had three weeks left to make her final decision, three weeks to organise herself one way or the other.

Chapter Sixteen –

The mountains were particularly lovely today. It was cold, but clear. The sun was bright and shining down on the cabin Maura considered home for now.

Constance had gone into town. She had ordered in some art supplies and they had arrived at the store ready for her to collect. So, Maura thought nothing more when the sound of a car pulling in filtered through to her seat on the deck. She'd wrapped up well and was enjoying the cool fresh air, a book open in her lap. She kept her eyes closed and relaxed.

She had returned three days ago, and she missed Boston. The hustle and bustle of daily life, heading to a crime scene again had been a real buzz, and she hadn't realised just how much she missed it until she found herself back in it. Having spent the last year trying to prove how much she didn't need it, she realised all she was doing was proving how much she didn't need Jane, and she was wrong on both counts.

Footsteps grew nearer and she smiled at the thought of her mother. Who knew that Angela would rub off so well on Constance?

"Did you get it?" she asked, her eyes still closed against the sun.

"Not yet…"

The voice wasn't that of her mother, and her eyes shot open. "Jane?"

The brunette was really there, right in front of her. A half smile on her face lay somewhere between nervous and excited.

"Hi."

"H-how?" Maura sat upright and instinctively smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in her shirt.

"Well, it seems Jane Rizzoli is not above begging when it comes to Maura Isles. Constance gave a good fight, but I wore her down when I told her I could just find out with an illegal use of my badge. Apparently, she doesn't ' _want to see her future daughter-in-law get a criminal record and become unemployable_.'" She used air quotes and shrugged.

Maura didn't speak. She found herself wedged in a space between shock and hope.

"The thing is, Maura. I can't marry you…not yet, I started divorce proceedings with Casey, but ya know it takes as long as it takes."

"You're divorcing him?" Jane nodded. "Because he stole the letter?"

"Yes, that's part of it, but mainly the reason is that I love him, he's a good man in his own way and he did his best, but I'm not in love with him. I never have been. I had this irrational fear of Hoyt…"  
"Hardly irrational, the man has tried to kill you. It's a perfectly normal…"

Jane stepped forward and placed a fingertip to Maura's lips. The gentle touch brought a small gasp and then silence.

"My point is, Maura. I am in love with you, and I figured if you won't come home then I'd best come out here and see what it's like that keeps you here…I figure if I'm going to move here then I should at least know what…"

"Move here?" Maura exclaimed. "You'd move here…to be with me?"

"I'd go to the ends of the Earth to be with you, Maura. Don't you know that?"

Maura shook her head. Tears pooled in her eyes until one solitary drop slid and created the path for others to follow.

"I've been a fool. I thought that if I just…I thought you'd be there, that you and I would raise Luca. Casey would be away for most of the year and we'd just settle into…" She stopped speaking, ran a hand through her hair and looked around. "I settled. I settled for second best when I should have been running after you and never allowing you to even think about needing to leave. I let you down, I let us down. But not anymore." She reached out and took Maura's hand, grateful when she didn't pull away. "If you still want an us, then I..."

"Where is Luca?" Maura asked.

Jane smiled. "In town, with Constance."

"With my mother?" Maura's eyes widened. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Jane laughed. "She's become quite attached. He does that, uses that little finger of his to wind you in."

"I'm moving back to Boston." It was only as she said the words that she realised that was her plan. She was going home.

"Great, well that's…" Jane smiled but the nerves returned, aware that Maura hadn't answered her question.

"But I have a few weeks left here."

"Okay, well I'm just glad you're coming home."

Maura smiled and moved in closer. "Do you have unused leave like usual?" Tentatively she let her palm rest against Jane's shoulder.

Grinning, Jane said, "I do…"

"Good, take it and stay here with me."

Jane closed the gap, their lips just inches apart. "Already did." She smirked before moving in and claiming the doctor's lips with her own. Maura slid her palm higher, around the detective's neck and pulled her closer until nothing could come between them. Lips parted, allowing Jane entrance into her heart and soul. A kiss that poured all the words they would ever need into each other's soul. "Don't leave me again," Jane whispered as they separated, clinging to one another.

"Never."

 **AN: My stories will no longer be posted here. Instead, I have a facebook group you can join. Its called ItsClaStev Fanfic, If you like reading my Rizzles fanfic then come along and join me there. Cx**


	12. Chapter 12

Many thanks to all of you who have sent messages or reviewed my stories. I think I have replied to everyone that I can, but many of you are guest logins and that means I am unable to reply to you.

Writing fanfic for this fandom is still something that I enjoy doing, just not on this platform.

For anyone who would like to read the actual ending to Leaving Jane, then I do have a fanfic page on Facebook that you are welcome to join. However, it is moderated. You are not requested or required to review. I don't write for that reason.

ItsClaStev Fanfic page.

Happy reading!

Claire


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